Usually, Lois hated Valentine's Day. The office usually looked as if someone had thrown up red all over the place.There were red roses, balloons, teddy bears, chocolate boxes, the whole shebang. Usually Lois didn't notice or care that it was February 14th, even in the five years of being with Richard. This year however she looked forward to the day, hell, she'd been counting down on her calendar (at home of course) for two weeks! Why? A smile graced her lips at the thought...because who knew what Clark Kent would surprise her with?
It wasn't a secret anymore that they were dating, partly thanks to one Jimmy Olsen for spilling the beans and his coffee all over the place when Clark told him who exactly he was dating. Clark adored Jason and much to Lois' surprise and happiness, Jason was just as enthusiastic of Clark. Many times a wonderful date consisted of the three of them going somewhere together like the park or the Zoo, or just staying in and watching a movie. Jason would (reluctantly of course) go to bed and Lois and Clark would have their time together. Of course, there wasn't much time in the day when they weren't together seeing as how Perry had partnered them up a week after the New Krypton incident. She and Richard had split about a month after the incident, and Lois hadn't thought that she'd find love so soon after but she and Clark had fallen into their old camaraderie and not too long after, something more. This happened despite the fact that she didn't mention Clark once in his five year absence, but it was mostly due to Lois feeling (aside from hormonal) betrayed and abandoned by her best friend. He left, not even with a single goodbye, just a note that said "Lois, please take care." The other half of that story was that Lois was finally going to act on her long denied feelings for the man, only to find him gone.
Regardless, today was a new day. And apparently, it was Valentine's Day judging from the large bouquet of red roses she found on the other side of the apartment door that morning. With a large grin she brought it in and immediately set to tearing open the envelope that came with it. Her smile faltered, just a little bit to find that it wasn't from Clark, but her father. Actually she was pretty surprised that the General even knew that it was Valentine's Day, and the fact that he sent her anything at all.
"Mommy, is that from Mr. Clark?" Jason asked from his seat at the kitchen table, where a bowl of half eaten Fruit Loops got even soggier.
"Nope, it's from your grandpa. Aren't they beautiful?"
"Uh huh," he said before stuffing his mouth with a spoon of cereal. "But whatch Mr. Clawk gonna getchoo?"
Lois smiled briefly before trying to put on her "Mom Face" and failing.
"Honey, don't talk with your mouth full! I'm not sure, Jase. Usually on Valentine's Day people surprise each other with cards or gifts, like these roses. Besides, I'd have figured he told you what he was going to get me judging by the way the two of you were whispering to each other last night."
Jason smiled and fidgeted a little, knowing full well that he couldn't get out of this one.
"He kinda did, Mommy. He just said he had a really big surprise for you!"
"Okay, okay I see how it is, don't tell me then."
She ruffled Jason's hair as he giggled and went to gather her things for work. Jason would go to school then would be picked up by his Aunt Lucy and spend the night at her house, allowing Lois and Clark to go on a date. Lois never had felt this excited for a date on Valentine's Day in quite a long time, and couldn't be more excited to see what her farm boy had in store for her.
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Just as she thought, someone had gone crazy with the red and pink decorations but it wasn't so bad, especially when you were actually in love. Lois found Clark at his desk, and couldn't keep herself from doing a beeline straight to him.
Clark could hear her perfectly behind him, could hear her satchel that she tried to put down quietly, could hear the smile on her lips. He felt small hands on his shoulders and turned his head to meet her soft lips in a slow, sweet kiss that had a couple of not so nice colleagues whistling. Clark stood up from his chair and held her in a tight embrace, still amazed that he could have done this years before, that they could have been together after all. Lois smiled brightly up at him as she wrapped her arms around him just as tightly.
"So, Smallville. Doing anything special for Singles' Awareness Day?"
"I wasn't aware I was single," he murmured quietly as he bent down for another kiss. Lois laughed and moved her head out of the way, blocking him.
"Come on, Clark. You know what I mean!"
"Nope. I really don't, Lo."
And honestly, he didn't. Despite knowing her better than she knew herself, sometimes he just had no idea what she was on about sometimes, and those were the times when he just let her go and try to get in her way as little as possible.
"I mean, what did you get me, or what are you doing for me today? You know I hate surprises! So just fess up already!"
"Lois," Clark said as he smiled crookedly, knowing it worked on his Lois each time. "You know your threats don't work on me anymore, Sweetheart. And besides, if I told you, you'd have to tell me what you're doing for me today."
Lois grinned at him lasciviously, and Clark would have blushed if he was physically capable.
"I'd tell you what I'm doing for you today, rather tonight, but I don't think our colleagues would like to hear."
"A-alright, you win. Your first present is in your upper d-desk drawer. Happy?"
Lois was still smiling. "So does this mean you want to know what I'll do for you tonight?"
Gil Truman just happened to be in close hearing range and answered her question for Clark with a resounding "YES!"
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First present, eh? She couldn't wait to find out what other things were in store for her! She opened her desk drawer to reveal a long rectangular box of red velvet, finding inside of it a beautiful white Gold bracelet with tiny white Diamonds and Rubies. She looked up to see the one who'd given the present, but found him absent from his desk. That gave her the perfect opportunity to give him a little present of her own, well more like a series of presents. From her bottom desk drawer she pulled a red box out that contained a few presents. First, a red and black striped tie she'd stolen from him years before because she hated it, but had secretly kept it on the top shelf of her closet. Second was the now empty soda bottle she'd sprayed all over him the day they had met. Sure it'd been a bad move on her part at the time, but they always joked about it now. Third was a photo she didn't know she had until the other day when going through boxes she'd still not opened even though the move was months ago. The photo was the two of them at the hotel in Niagara Falls, both laughing together and generally enjoying themselves like a couple they were pretending to be. In it, she was only wearing a white dressing robe while he looked quite dashing in a tuxedo. Lois's brow had furrowed in consternation at the photo. Something important had happened right after that, but she didn't know what exactly. She and Clark had a fight, maybe that was it. No...actually, she wasn't quite sure what had happened on that trip just that she'd somehow gotten back home and that nothing was the same after that. She would be sure to ask him about it when he opened the present, which would be whenever he got back from wherever the heck he went to.
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He really did have a reason to be out of the office other than of course, to save people. He had interviewed the Mayor about the new sports complex that was being built, and oh, he had to go mope and worry in his Fortress of Solitude. The memory crystals had been recovered not long after Luthor had been apprehended, and Clark was happy to report that Lex was finally serving the life sentence he was supposed to. Getting the crystals back wasn't easy, however. He'd found them floating around just where Kitty Kowalski said she'd dropped them, but since the still growing mass was laced with Kryptonite, it hadn't been easy retrieving them. Now that he'd gotten the crystals back he'd enhanced the security of the Fortress, told Jor-El about his grandson which surprisingly the AI was quite happy about, if an AI could be happy, and lastly he'd set about seeing how he could reverse Lois's memory. There was a reason, although subconsciously he was sure why Lois had gone straight to Clark instead of Superman. A few nights after his recovery he went to her as Superman and told her why exactly she couldn't remember the night Jason came to be. Needless to say, she wasn't too happy about it and ordered him to back off. Now he was biting the bullet. He needed to tell her who he was now more than ever, and his present would aid in that...
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He was still not back by the afternoon, and Lois began to feel a little anxious. Her anxiety was mollified however, when a delivery of a dozen white Lilies was brought to her. Only one person knew what her favorite flowers were and she ripped open the envelope messily to find that it was indeed from Clark, and it was written in his messy yet elegant script. It read:
She looked over to the still open jewelry box and smiled softly, wondering what she'd wear that it would look nice with.
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The red gift box sat on her bed next to a low cut slinky dress of the same color she'd gotten years before. She'd been pleasantly surprised to find the second gift from him waiting at the front desk in the apartment lobby. The discreet plain package had her confused, but when she opened it in her bedroom she couldn't help herself from giggling like a little schoolgirl. Who knew the Farmboy had such taste! Or the guts, for that matter! He'd sent her lingerie! A simple light pink corset embellished with white lace and matching pink panties, also made of lace.
"I guess Clark really likes pink," Lois murmured to herself as she began to fasten the bracelet he'd given her. A sudden gasp tore from her throat as she began to see images in her mind and through her eyes... it was her and Clark in the hotel room. A gun? Then the images began to move as if in rewind, showing the two of them together at the Planet, working side by side, flirting, mocking and laughing.
"I'm in love with you," she heard her voice say.
"I know," Clark responded with a small smile.
The images began to fast forward, past the hotel room and now it was in a great palace of ice. The Fortress of Solitude. She began to feel what she'd felt then... overwhelming love and awe, with a dash of distrust. How could her best friend do this to her? Lie to her everyday?
"I did it because I love you, Lois."
"Funny way of showing it there, Smallvlle."
He shook his head with a smile and kissed her gently.
"I hope there's more where that came from," Lois shyly whispered.
He put a hand to her cheek to caress it, just like how he did all the time.
"There is, trust me Lois, there is."
She relived those precious moments afterwards, and could have sworn she still could taste his kiss on the tip of her tongue. Then it all changed. A red glow around Clark, then there was darkness, and in it were three menacing strangers that did not mean well at all. She felt constant worry and sadness, and it multiplied when she saw him standing before her again with a resigned look on his face.
"Just tell me you love me."
"I love you, Lois. I love you so much. I know I hurt you, so many times. I thought we could never be together, and once again you proved me wrong. Please, let me make it up to you. Please let me finally be honest with you. I love you Lois... I love you and Jason so very much..."
And just like that, it was over. She seemed to wake up from a daze to find that somewhere in the course of all of that she'd sat down on her bed. She looked down to see a light glow emanating from the bracelet dissipate until it was once more just a piece of jewelry.
"I promised you, you know."
She looked up to see Superman, or was it Clark, in the doorway leading to the balcony. She figured she was probably a messy sight sitting there wearing nothing but the lingerie with the corset still open in the back, her mouth wide open, and her hair still tangled from her shower. She didn't know whether to be ridiculously angry or touched. Maybe both.
"And what exactly did you promise me?"
"A surprise."
She sighed with a smile and looked down at her clothing. "Clark, you know I like pink so it's not much of a surprise."
He gave her the half crooked smile that always worked on her. "So what about that surprise you have for me that were telling me about earlier today?"
Lois could only roll her eyes. Oh Smallville.
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